Ex Hearts midfielder stunned over Celtic demolition job as disbelief emerges from on-air thumping reaction
Hearts were thumped by Celtic and a former player couldn’t believe what he was watching.
Former Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday insists Celtic didn’t need to be on top form to thrash his ex-side - as chances were gifted to them in abundance.
Wouter Vrancken’s side were demolished 7-1 at Parkhead in their latest Premiership clash as they were punished brutally in defence. Five goals were shipped in the first 45 minutes plus stoppages and another two were conceded before full-time as they went eight points behind the current league leaders.
Next up is Trabzonspor away in the Conference League but Halliday couldn’t believe what he was watching as he analysed the match live on air for Sportsound. The standard of first half defending as he cast his half-time report left him bewildered, Celtic’s pace leaving Hearts wide open when they won the ball back. A ruthless edge in front of goal then left the Jambos routed. Next up in the Premiership is away to Motherwell this Sunday who have lost five matches on the spin.
Andy Halliday on Celtic 7-1 Hearts
Halliday explained: “There's an element of disbelief with the 45 minutes of football that I've just watched. The transition moments in set pieces are so important in modern day football, but Hearts have almost had a competition with themselves to outdo themselves every goal ,and make it worse. The first goal's bad, and then the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth, they all get progressively worse.
“The standard of defending for Hearts has been junior level and that's disrespectful to the juniors, it's got to be said. And you look at Hearts' approach to the game in terms of the team that they've selected, it looks as if they're going to try and sit and select players who'd really try and hurt Celtic on the counter-attack.
“It's been the complete polar opposite. They've went man for man all over the pitch. When I go back to when I said that I felt that Martyn O’Neill picked probably what I've seen as the correct team going into the game, it's because they've got so much pace at the top end of the pitch. That one misstep or one misplaced pass for Hearts leads to what we've watched for Celtic, because you've got to say, in the transition moments, they've been absolutely ruthless with the chances that Hearts have presented.
“But it's got to be said, Hearts' defending has been absolutely shocking. Effectively they're going man for man, but I talked about Jordi Altena not being a natural defender at the top of the show. Even Stephen Kingsley, who is an actual defender, is at the stage of his career where he doesn't want to be left in 1v1 situations with Hasseim Hassan.
“Just all over the pitch, they've been second best. You've got to say that Celtic have been very, very good without actually having to be, because I think a lot of the stuff that's come their way has been absolutely presented to them by the Hearts players.”